I think investors were looking for an excuse to take some profits after a blisteringly good pace in November. Higher energy prices near term, and the continuing battle in Washington over the course of the Iraq war have provided sufficient reason for investors to take a little profit.

Joseph Battipaglia

The Democratic Party silence on Iraq is another moment of a voice lost. Faced with votes in favor of the war, the silence is deafening in Washington and the frustration is growing larger among voters. It's time for us to ask the question: What is the exit strategy?

Andy Stern

You sent us to fight and die in Iraq after you, Mr. Cheney, dodged the draft in Vietnam, and you, Mr. Bush, went AWOL from your National Guard unit. Your cowardice and selfishness were established decades ago. You were not willing to risk yourselves for our nation but you sent hundreds of thousands of young men and women to be sacrificed in a senseless war with no more thought than it takes to put out the garbage.

Tomas Young

Don't you think the soldiers look like they came straight from high school yearbooks, too young to be over in Iraq, fighting for no reason?

The enemy in Iraq believes America will run, that's why they're willing to kill innocent civilians, relief workers, coalition troops. America will never run. America will do what is necessary to make our country more secure.

The situation in Iraq is unacceptable to the American people -- and it is unacceptable to me. Our troops in Iraq have fought bravely. They have done everything we have asked them to do. Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me.

Experts say that Iraq may have nuclear weapons. That\'s bad news - they may have a nuclear bomb. Now the good news is that they have to drop it with a camel.

David Letterman

A free and stable Iraq will be a shining light against the shadow of Islamic extremism.

Jim DeMint

A democratic and stable Iraq and Afghanistan are essential to our broader efforts to make no place safe for terrorists and to win the War on Terrorism.

Ben Nelson

The country and the Congress were misled into war. I regret that we were not given the truth; as I said more than a year ago, knowing what we know now, I would not have gone to war in Iraq. And knowing now the full measure of the Bush Administrationís duplicity and incompetence, I doubt there are many members of Congress who would give them the authority they abused so badly. I know I would not.